Instant Pot Turkey Chili is the ultimate fall and winter comfort food! Ground turkey, beans, veggies and spices cook quickly in your electric pressure cooker with a taste like it has been simmering all day. You can also make this chili with dried beans!
Love healthy chili recipes? Try our reader shared Instant Pot beef chili or wildly popular Instant Pot white chicken chili.
This Instant Pot turkey chili tastes like the best turkey chili simmered on the stove all day! Flavorful, comforting and hearty bowl of homemade chili entire family will love. Even kids because this healthy soup recipe is not spicy. But you can, if you wish.
This is why I love making chili! Because I can customize it and I know everyone will eat dinner. Even kids’ picky friends. Let’s face it.
And did I say this chili is healthy?! By using ground turkey instead of ground beef, we avoid eating about 28 grams of saturated fat. Crazy! Healthier is only Instant Pot vegetarian chili.
Why Cook Chili in Instant Pot?
Not all but many recipes make sense to be converted to Instant Pot recipes. And Instant Pot chili is one of them. Because it’s easy.
Although total cooking time with pressure build up is about 30 minutes, prep time is only 15 minutes and you walk away. No waiting to boil or stirring. And chili will taste just like your mom used to make.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Turkey Chili
- Ground turkey: Lean or extra lean ground turkey, even ground chicken will be great in this recipe.
- Beans: You can use any combination of beans. I like to use red kidney beans, pinto beans and any white beans like navy, cannellini or lima. More varieties, more flavor. If you cook dried beans without salt, add 1 teaspoon salt.
- Corn: Fresh, canned (drained) or frozen corn (no need to thaw).
- Canned diced tomatoes and paste: No need to drain diced tomatoes. If you have Rotel, diced tomatoes with green chilies, even more flavor.
- Broth or stock: Pick low sodium. I like to use organic low sodium bouillon cubes mixed water to save storage space, packaging and money. Or Instant Pot chicken broth or Instant Pot beef bone broth when I have it on hand.
- Spices: Chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper.
Recipe Tip
Double the recipe? I do not recommend to double this recipe even in 8 quart Instant Pot because ingredients will not fit and pot won’t come to pressure! What you can do though, add extra 1 pound of meat and a can of beans, then adjust seasonings to taste at the end.
How to Make Turkey Chili in Instant Pot
This Instant Pot turkey chili can be made in 6 quart Instant Pot and 8 quart Instant Pot as written. For 3 quart, half the ingredients and keep same cooking time.
- Saute ground turkey just enough to separate into small pieces. It doesn’t have to be cooked through or browned.
- Deglaze only if you see bottom of the pot has stuck browned bits of meat to it. Add 1/2 cup broth and deglaze the pot. If not, then it’s fine. My 6 quart Instant Pot runs hotter and browns more than 8 quart (it doesn’t really brown).
- Add remaining ingredients in exact order listed in the recipe and do not stir to avoid Burn message.
- Pressure cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Release pressure using Quick Release or you can let pressure cooker come down on its own with Natural Release.
Recipe Tip
Release pressure outside to prevent your house smell like chili for days.
How to Make Instant Pot Turkey Chili with Dried Beans
OK, by super popular demand I have tested Instant Pot chili with dried beans. Result was – ah-mazing.
Not only it is convenient, cheap and less sodium version of chili, the stew comes out more hearty thanks to a bean broth. Texture wise similar to healthy white chicken chili where we mash some beans for hearty thick stew texture.
To make chili with dried beans, you do not have to soak them. Use 2 cups dried and rinsed dried beans with 4 cups of stock and cook for 40 minutes.
If you cook red kidney beans in Instant Pot or black beans in Instant Pot, they only take on average 12 minutes with NPR. But because we have many other ingredients in the pot, cooking time is 3 times longer. Just like with Instant Pot rice and beans cooked together in a pressure cooker. Science!
Serving Suggestions
- Fixings: Serve chili traditionally with shredded cheese, plain yogurt or sour cream, green onion, cilantro, lime and avocado. And how can you forget a slice of buttery almond flour cornbread or some cornbread muffins?!
- Serve as an appetizer: With tortilla chips for dunking…mmmm.
- Stretch it: Make chili go further served over Instant Pot baked potatoes or Instant Pot spaghetti squash.
How to Store, Reheat and Freeze
Yes, you can freeze chili. Hearty soup and stew without tender vegetables freeze well. Cook, cool completely and freeze in glass container for up to 3 months.
Make a freezer meal: Cook ground turkey until small pieces for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer to a Ziploc bag with other ingredients (add tomato products right after meat). Before cooking, add 1 cup water or low sodium broth and cook from frozen on High pressure for 20 minutes. Then do Quick Release.
To thaw, defrost on a counter or in the fridge overnight. Forgot to thaw ahead? Place container in a bowl with warm water. Just make sure to let glass warm up a bit on a counter to prevent it from cracking.
To reheat in either scenario, simmer on the stove covered on low, stirring occasionally and until warmed through.
More Chili Recipes to Try
- White bean pumpkin turkey chili
- Buffalo chicken chili
- Ground chicken chili
- Crockpot white chicken chili
More Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love
Looking for more ideas? Check out this collection of our top healthy Instant Pot recipes!
Instant Pot Turkey Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 cup any stock or broth low sodium
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 1/2 cups corn canned or frozen
- 14 oz can low sodium red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 14 oz can low sodium cannellini or navy beans rinsed and drained
- 14 oz can low sodium pinto beans or black eyed peas rinsed and drained
- 2 tbsp chili powder makes mild, 3 tbsp for spicy
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes low sodium
- 6 oz can tomato paste low sodium
- Avocado oil
- Green onion cilantro, cheese, plain yogurt (for toppings)
Instructions
- On 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, press Sauté and let appliance preheat until display says Hot. Swirl a bit of oil to coat, add ground turkey and cook for 4 minutes, breaking into small pieces with spatula often. Meat doesn't have to cook through.
- If you see bottom of the pot has stuck browned bits of meat, add 1/2 cup broth and deglaze the pot. If not, then it's fine. My 6 quart Instant Pot runs hotter than 8 quart. Press Cancel and add remaining 1/2 cup (if deglazed) or 1 cup broth.
- Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, corn, beans, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Do not stir to avoid Burn.
- Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 15 minutes.
- After release pressure using Quick Release by turning pressure valve to Venting position, which takes 2-3 minutes. Open the lid, stir and serve hot with your favourite toppings.
Video
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on a stovetop covered on low.
- Make a freezer meal: Cook ground turkey until small pieces for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer to a Ziploc bag with other ingredients (add tomato products right after meat). Before cooking, add 1 cup water or low sodium broth and cook from frozen on High pressure for 20 minutes. Quick release.
- To make chili with dried beans (no soaking): Use 2 cups dried beans with 4 cups stock and cook for 40 minutes.
- If you cook your own beans without salt, add 1 tsp salt.
- Ground chicken will work just as well.
- I often use frozen vegetables like chopped pepper, corn and frozen cooked beans to save time.
I followed the recipe tip for using dried beans. The contents did not fit under the safety line on a 6-quart Instant Pot. It’s no big deal, I stirred it all up, then scooped out the extra and froze it. Just though you’d want to know. 🙂
Good chili!
Good to know! Thanks Mark!
Is it for 15 minutes or 20 minutes? Recipe says 15, video says 20. Thanks!
Sorry about that, it is 15 minutes.
is it okay to cook the meat in a separate pan on the stove and then add to the pot first?
Yes, you can do that.
Great! Should I still coat the bottom of the insta pot with a light oil, like I would have done if I cooked it in the insta pot?
I don’t think there would be a need to do that if cooking meat separately.
Thanks for all of your help 🙂 this will be the first thing I make with the Instapot! One more question, sorry – on the recipe, it says to cook for 15 minutes on high pressure cooking but in the video, you set it for 20 minutes. Just want to confirm if it’s 15 or 20? Thank you again, so excited to make this!
15 minutes, sorry for the confusion on that!
So good! And easy! I used smoked paprika, ancho chili powder and Mexican oregano. I also used a can of original Rotel and 1/2 the can of diced tomatoes. It had a level of spice which was perfect for us. Thanks for this great recipe – I’ll be making it again!
So happy to hear you enjoyed it Kathryn!
Hi There! I’ve made this as is and loved it! Wondering if I can use ground pork instead of the ground turkey. Any changes I need to make, if so?
Awesome and yes you can, pork may need to be drained after you Saute it as it could lead to a greasier chili, but you don’t have to do that.
This is a good tasting hearty recipe! My family had second helpings. I doubled the recipe as you suggested using 2 lbs of turkey and another can of beans. This recipe is a keeper.
So happy to hear Barbara, glad you enjoyed it!
I made this recipe in a 6qt instant pot. One cup of broth didn’t seem to be enough, so I made another cup.
I learned from a past instant fail, if you don’t have enough liquid the food will burn. The food was covered with liquid. Hopefully this won’t burn on me.
Glad you tried it Wendy! 1 cup should have been sufficient due to also being a can of 28 diced tomatoes plus veggies release ‘water’, but a more brothy soup is always good for topping with your favorite crackers, tortillas and toppings!
Great recipe, I did add 1 more cup of broth. Great on a cold night.
So glad to hear! Yes, soup season is here!
Just wanted to say for instant pot noobs that taking the instant pot outside is a pretty unnecessary step. I’ve made loads of chili in my instant pot and my house has never smelled like chili for more than a few hours.
Olena,I had success,chili came out
Perfect. Sauted added the veggies from your list,cooked 20min came
out great. Thank you very much.
See you soon.
Janice L